Phil's passion for tradition fuels an expansion trail

JAMES ELLIOTT butchers is famous in its local area for being a traditional butcher, specialising in Scotch beef, Lincolnshire lamb and Suffolk free range pork. More than this, the butchers is part of a charming 19th century row of shops - it is next door to a traditional greengrocers and fresh ?sh shop. The greengrocer, in the middle, is an open-fronted 'market trading'-style shop and all three draw in a diverse mix of customer - from quiet locals to the rich and famous.

This shop is number ?ve for Phil, whose ?rst was bought 16 years ago in New Addington, Surrey. This was followed by shops in Romford and Grays in Essex and then Catford in South London - all trading as Meat Express.

Phil's career began at Tamplin's shop in Hackney Road opposite Dunloe Road in London' East End at the age of 15 when he was living in London Fields. After qualifying as a butcher he went on to work 20 years for the Tuckers chain of shops. He then took butchery franchises in Kwik Save stores - starting in Brixton. After that he moved to Murray's where he developed 'traditional' stores - including the one at a Croydon market, which was once the MTJ's local butchers.

Now Phil is about to complete the purchase of shop number six at Eltham High Street. It is one of the Dewhurst shops being sold by the troubled chain's receiver. The Eltham shop will be modernised and refurbished and become part of the Meat Express business. James Elliott's, however, bought last October, will remain under that name, as it is revered by locals and comes from the late Jim Elliott, whose wife Gloria carried on the business for 10 years. The refurbishment will be sympathetic to its origins. The quirky ceiling and ?oors which slope and curve following attention from the Luftwaffe during World War II will remain, but covered with false ceilings and new brighter tiling.

The front window will contain leaded glass, and the outside surrounds will feature mahogany-style wood and a new front door. Behind the window will be a refrigerated display cabinet where air conditioning will be installed. New lighting will also be introduced to the interior and exterior.

New refrigeration storage will be installed and the wooden racks of jars and pots of home-prepared style jams, condiments, pickles and sauces will be joined to make a continuous run around the three walls. A single curved refrigerated display cabinet will replace the 'L' shaped arrangement of the two cabinets which currently store free range poultry, rabbits and other game, pates, haggis plus an exotic delicatessen range of pasteurised and unpasteurised cheeses.

These include Devon Blue, Flower Marie, Shropshire Blue, Patrice, Isle of Avalon, Beenleigh Blue, Tickle more Goats, Somerset Tornegus, Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire, Oxford Blue and Colston Bassett Stilton

Butchers Charles Gregory and Tom Roberts run the shop and have been in the trade for over 60 years combined, but have only been in this shop for a year and and are only now getting used to the stars of stage and screen appearing in the queue. Quality of staff is a critical factor for Phil Walsh's expansion.

"You can't get the boys to do the hours and they are looking for £350 per week," he says. Qualified, mature butchers are not easy to ?nd, says Phil, but he has been able to keep in contact with former colleagues and friends in the trade and is always able to take on people he trusts will do a good job. His beef, pork and lamb come from Smith?eld meat market - which is also a source of trade news, and is where he ?rst heard that James Elliott's was on the market.

Fortunately, his son Daniel who did not eat meat until he was 10 years old, and could not stand the smell of the shop, has outgrown his aversion and now works in the business.

Phil took the unusual step of encouraging Daniel to do a business management course ?rst and then learn the trade second, a move which is paying off handsomely as demonstrated not only by Daniel's skill on the block but his ability to keep the business thriving.

Now Phil is on the lookout for a Pashley butcher's bike to put outside the refurbished shop. This icon of the trade would be a ?tting ?ourish for the shop and con?rm that its traditional values are thriving - both in quality of meat and service.

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